Arizona Wildfire Explodes in Size Due to Dry, Windy Weather

An aerial view of the Sawmill fire in southern Arizona. Photo: Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management

More than 100 homes have been evacuated in southern Arizona’s Santa Rita Mountains.

A wildfire sparked over the weekend grew to at least 28 square miles Tuesday.

The blaze was only 7 percent contained as of Tuesday afternoon and weather conditions aren’t likely to improve anytime soon.

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"Precipitation has been below average in this area for the last few months," said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce. "Green Valley has seen just 0.43 inches of precipitation since Feb. 1 – about 25 percent of their average for that period."

These conditions created the perfect combination for a fire, a Green Valley Fire Department spokesperson told KGUN, and all it needed was a small spark.